Thomas Barnsley Grahamstown side by side.

**MrK** · 12-07-2023, 15:29

Came across a beautifull but somewhat battered rifle today. Side by side rifle and 16 ga shotgun configuration, butstock was broken and poorly repaired somewhere in the distant past. Engraved with "made exclusively for Thomas Barnsley Grahamstown" and some pretty scrollwork engraving. The rifle barrel takes a rimmed cartridge by the looks of it. We could confirm the shotgun calibre with a cartridge, but not sure about the rifle barrel calibre, possibly Martini Henry? Fitted with flip up sights to 500 yrd. Can anyone shed some light on this perhaps?

**oafpatroll** · 12-07-2023, 15:39

What a lekker sounding thing. Found this which may be helpful. Seem to be some people there who know/knew a bit about the make and retailer.

**MrK** · 12-07-2023, 15:42

I will see if I can get a pic of the rifle, as I recall it does not have hammers as pictured above. From Oafpatrols link it seems to date from 1877 to 1885!

**Heath Robinson** · 12-07-2023, 19:01

There were a number of very similar cartridges around at the time.
Do you have the opportunity to do a chamber cast and slug the bore?

**MrK** · 12-07-2023, 19:10

Originally Posted by Heath Robinson

There were a number of very similar cartridges around at the time.
Do you have the opportunity to do a chamber cast and slug the bore?

The rifle belongs to an acquaintance and he showed it to me today for the first time. It seems he inherited it recently and is trying to figure out if he should go through the licensing schlep. I have put him in touch with a different friend of mine who is a collector, I'm sure they will figure out the caliber as my collector friend has several Boer war era rifles in his collection. Apparently these are referred to as "Cape guns".

**Luker** · 12-07-2023, 19:35

Originally Posted by oafpatroll

What a lekker sounding thing. Found this which may be helpful. Seem to be some people there who know/knew a bit about the make and retailer.

Interesting thread although you cant help noticing a few thinly veiled insults concerning the Boers. Almost
makes one forget how the Boers shot the living crap out of them far beyond 500 yards.

**Richard83** · 14-07-2023, 09:37

Below is a picture of Barnsley's gunshop in Grahamstown. I am unsure when the photo was taken, but the shop was established in 1874.

I suspect the Armory at the Albany Museum must have examples in their collection.

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